


He's Reading Austen?!

by Stormendale



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Gamzee is an avid reader, Karkat works in a library, M/M, Pining Gamzee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2020-04-07 08:30:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19081318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stormendale/pseuds/Stormendale
Summary: Have you ever been at the grocery store for one (1) thing, and someone else tries to grab it at the same time, and then oh no it's that regular customer from work that you kind of think is hot? Yeah, neither has Karkat. Until now.





	He's Reading Austen?!

Karkat looked over at the door, pausing from shelving books for a moment. There was that guy again… What the hell was his deal, anyway? Karkat honestly did not think he looked like the reading type, but every day he came in and read a book. He's been coming to the library every fucking day it's been open for over a month, and he's always reading the same book. He wondered if the guy was having trouble with it. He hadn't been the one to check it out to him, so he didn't have any idea what it was. Not that he was curious. Not at all. He went back to shelving books as the guy plopped down at one of the tables, opening his book.

The next day, he happened to be at the counter and that same guy got up from the table and walked over to him. He hadn’t noticed how tall the man was. He smiled lazily at Karkat who swallowed nervously and shook his head to clear it. The guy looked put off, his smile slowly faded. He set the book on the counter: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. He seemed more like the type to read a sci-fi thriller or something.

“Big Austen fan?” Karkat asked with a hint of sarcasm. He was probably just trying to impress someone.

“This is the first motherfuckin thing I've read by her, but the ending was wicked.” he drawled out slowly. “I fuckin knew they was gonna end up together.”

He scanned the book and put it on the cart, not saying anything to him. This guy’s whole deal confused Karkat. He had an eyebrow piercing and gauges, and he was reading Austen? And what the fuck was up with the face paint? This isn't a fucking carnival.

“Well, uh, see ya bro.” he said, waving a little.

“Aren't you gonna get another book?”

He smiled. “I'll be back tomorrow.”

Karkat didn't smile. “Good luck because we're not open tomorrow.”

“Oh.” His eyebrows furrowed together and he bit his lip. “I'll uh, be back whenever I guess. Fuck.” He muttered the last word as he walked away, but Karkat still heard.

He was hesitant to admit to himself that he was intrigued. He watched him leave, not realizing how tight he was gripping the counter, white knuckled.

****** ****** ******

He was at home in his tiny little apartment late that night, and opened the cabinet. He found himself craving Mac and Cheese, and rummaging through the cabinets, he sighed when he realized there wasn't any. He checked his watch, finding that it was close to two in the morning. Wal-Mart would be open even if no other place was. Maybe it was crazy to go grocery shopping that early in the morning. Karkat failed spectacularly to give a shit.

The parking lot was almost empty. He parked near the door in a handicap spot (once again not giving a shit) and went inside. It was too cold for his liking; He wrapped his arms around himself as he walked down the aisles. When he got to the right aisle, he almost jumped out of his skin and hid behind the endcap immediately. What the hell was this guy doing at Wal-Mart at one in the morning? The same thing could be asked of him.

He peeked around the corner at him. Ironically, he was grabbing a box of, you guessed it, Mac and Cheese, and headed the opposite direction out of the aisle. After he was gone, Karkat ran up to where the boxes were and his anger flared up. He ran after him and found him just a few steps away. “Hey shitstain, that's the last box of Mac and Cheese!”

He turned around, smiling. “Well shit man, you can have it if you want.” he said, deflating Karkat’s frustration.

“Oh. You don't want it?”

“Shit yeah I do. But I gotta take care of a motherfucker before I can all up and take care of myself. You dig?”

“Well… we could.. share it I guess.” he said grudgingly. He made him feel bad for demanding it.

“Hell yeah motherfucker! That sounds like a plan and a half to me.” He shuffled, scuffing his shoe on the floor.

“So…” the guy said, leaning on the shelf to his left. “What's your name?”

He cringed on the inside at the thought of being seen in public with this freak show, but shook it off. “Karkat Vantas.” The guy smiled wide. 

“What, do you think my name's fucking funny?” He asked angrily.

“Nah, brother. I think Karkat is a motherfuckin’ miracle of a name.” he said. He sounded sincere.

“Well, what's your name?” Karkat asked, still slightly irritated.

“Gamzee motherfuckin’ Makara is what they call me.”

“Awe, you can't get them to stop?” he mocked, quoting one of his favorite romcoms, Hitch. Gamzee laughed, making Karkat even more irritated because it was supposed to be an insult.

“So…” Gamzee said slowly, looking down at his faded purple converse. “Your place or mine?” He asked, gesturing to the box of Mac n Cheese in his hand.

Karkat glared. “Mine. I don't trust you.”

“Yet.” He said, amused, and as they fell into step, Karkat elbowed him in the ribs for that comment. He just giggled.

****** ****** ******

Karkat was waiting for the water to boil, and Gamzee was sprawled out on his couch. The couch was facing away from the kitchen, so all he could see was his messy black hair spread out over the armrest.

He smiled grudgingly. It was nice to have someone in his apartment again. That thought made him frown though, thinking about the last person who was here. That last fight with Terezi really tore him up… It was his fault though, as usual. Everything was his fault. His fuckass tear ducts betrayed him, and he angrily wiped the offending salt water away, not wanting his house guest to know he was crying.

He was turned toward the stove when he heard the couch springs creak. He turned around. Gamzee was sitting up, running a hand through his hair. “You okay, Karbro? I was feeling some bad motherfuckin’ vibes from over here.” he said worriedly.

“I'm fine, asshole. Just go back to watching TV.” he answered irritatedly.

He smiled widely, getting up from the couch. “Well, maybe… maybe I wanna fuckin’ watch somethin’ else. You dig?”

“Like what? You can change the channel, remote’s right fucking there.”

“Nah I meant, maybe I wanna watch you cook up some motherfuckin’ miracles in here.” he said languidly, leaning on the wall. Karkat rolled his eyes.

“Whatever.” He plucked a single noodle from the pot with the spoon and ate it to check if it was done. Gamzee was grinning again. “What the hell are you looking at?” He chuckled, and Karkat would have sworn he was blushing slightly under all that white paint. He shook his head. That was dumb. He wouldn’t have any reason to blush. He shook the thought and drained the noodles in the sink. As he finished preparing it, Gamzee leaned against the wall and watched.

A few minutes later, they were both sitting on the couch eating. Or more accurately, Gamzee was sitting on the couch and Karkat was on the floor in front of the couch. He had been too nervous to sit right next to him, and thankfully he didn't question it.

He noticed that Gamzee ate very, very slowly. He took small bites and chewed slowly, setting his fork down between bites. It made Karkat very self conscious about how quickly he ate. He tried to eat more slowly, but when he was finished Gamzee still had half his bowl left. He squeezed his eyes shut, frustrated and unsure of what to do. He ended up just sitting there focusing on the TV without really seeing anything. He heard Gamzee sigh, and looked over to see him staring into his half empty bowl. “I don’t think I could eat anymore.” He said, and Karkat was surprised to hear genuine sadness in his voice.

“It’s okay. You must have a stomach the size of a fucking pea, though.”

“Yeah, I guess so.” He reached over and grabbed Karkat’s bowl, taking both of them to the kitchen. He didn't have to do that, Karkat would have done it.

“Rinse them out so the cheese doesn't stick.” he yelled, probably a little louder than was necessary. He heard the water running in the sink and then he came back in and lay down on the couch. He could feel the body heat of his ribcage near his head. He squeezed his eyes shut again and clenched his fists. There were a few moments of silence in which the only sound was the TV. 

“So… what were you, uh, all up and upset about earlier?” Gamzee asked, seeming slightly nervous. Karkat didn't want to answer his question. Didn't want to deal with his nervousness. He had his own to worry about.

He decided to change the subject. “Why do you come to the library so often? Why not just read at home?”

He didn't seem deterred by the random lane switch. “It's just a more… erm, mellow environment to read in, I guess you could all up and say. My apartment building is motherfuckin loud, let me tell you brother. Parties all up and down the place every motherfuckin day.”

He grunted in response, putting off what he was going to ask next. “Is that…” He let out a breath he forgot he was holding. “Is that the only reason?”

Gamzee was silent for a moment. “Nope.” He said simply. Karkat expected him to elaborate, but neither of them said anything for a few minutes. “Do you ever…” he began, but hesitated as if he wished he could take it back, but he’d already started. Gamzee sat up and moved next to him on the floor, one leg on the ground and the other propped up so he could lean his elbow on it. Why was he always leaning? Like he didn't have enough energy to hold himself up.

His eyes bored right into Karkat’s face, and he couldn't help but look up at him. His gaze was so intense. “Do you ever get all up and focused on a thing so goddamn hard that that's the only thing going through your mind, all the time it's there? Like one day you notice, and motherfuck, it gets all stuck up there in your head. And you try to hide it, Karkat. But you don't wanna fuckin hide it.”

He didn't know what to say. Didn't know where this was coming from. But Gamzee’s eyes held something passionate, frantic. He was clinging to every word. “And then an opportunity to come out in the daylight all up and hits you, square-on man.” he continues, and he stops. “You were it. The thing I was focused on. I came into the library and I couldn't help but motherfuckin imagine what it would be like…” he looked down at his lap, closed his eyes tightly. “It was you, and this is that opportunity I was talking about.”

Karkat was stunned. All that time, and he had no idea… Gamzee looked so afraid just then. All that was out in the open and he was waiting to get rejected. He could see it in the lines of his face. Karkat wondered how many times he had been put off, to give him that look of disappointment already etched on his face.

Karkat didn’t want to be the one to initiate anything, and glanced over hopefully, but instead of Gamzee kissing him like he was goddamn hoping for, he pulled him into a huge hug. His cheek was on Karkat’s head, and he hoped he wasn't getting face paint in his hair. Gamzee pulled back and looked at Karkat like he would never get to again. His brushed his long bangs to the side. 

The next time Karkat was at work, Gamzee showed up. He smiled brightly at Karkat and waved before choosing a book. Karkat couldn’t wait to get off work and spend time with him.


End file.
